I review a lot of books for mother-daughter book clubs, and likeability is my least important guideline for what I recommend. Why? Because after years of being in book clubs with my daughters, I know that it’s rare to find a book that everyone in the group likes. That means that what I like is not necessarily what someone else will like. Instead, I look for other factors before reviewing a book and listing it among my recommendations:

• Are there issues for mothers and daughters to talk about?
• Are those issues covered in a way that’s not too preachy?
• Is the book fairly well written?
• Do I think others will like it even if it doesn’t resonate well with me?

Also, I have found that sometimes the books that garner mixed reviews on likeability often generate the best discussions. They make people think about what they believe or help them relate to events they may be experiencing in their own lives.

You won’t find reviews for books I don’t recommend.  That’s because I believe it’s more important to focus more on what I believe are good books for book clubs as opposed to steering people away from books I’m not sure about. If you’d like to read more about my official review policy, just follow the link at the top of the page for any book list.